The report, which appears in the June 5 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, says that three of every 1,000 children are diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. This condition is a rare one and is characterized by unusual movements or sounds, called tics, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Lead author os the present report, Lawrence D. Scahill, an associate professor of nursing and child psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, said there is firm reason to believe that the cases are being underdiagnosed. Initially Tourette Syndrome was thought to be rare and uniformly severe, but a change of parameters in 1980 increased the number of cases diagnosed, he added.

The present findings are the result of a survey amongst 92,000 households who participated in the National Survey of Children's Health. Researchers conducted telephonic interviews from April 2007 through July 2008.

The researchers also report that Tourette syndrome is three times more common in boys as compared to girls and that it was twice as common in the age group of 12-17 years as compared with children in the 6-12 year group. The researchers also said that 79% kids with Tourette Syndrome often had other neurological issues such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavioral problems and anxiety.

The report concluded by saying the prevalence may actually be higher than estimated because the condition may be underdiagnosed. Tourette Syndrome characteristically occurs before the age of 18 years. Common tics associated with the syndrome include throat-clearing and blinking, but complex tics like repeating one's own words or phrases or making obscene gestures are not uncommon.

The exact cause of Tourette syndrome is not known, but it is thought to involve genetic as well as environmental factors. Some theories suggest chemical abnormalities in the brain related to the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Treatment of Tourette syndrome is based on symptoms and medications are used to control complex tics. Sometimes psychotherapy can be helpful, while in severe cases deep brain stimulation (DBS) may be attempted.

All experts agree that support from family members is the most important thing in dealing with Tourette syndrome. As the above report says, it may be diagnosed with other disorders as well, so helping children cope with these issues must be the main concerns for parents.